hoopsfreak

Taking stock of the reigning champs is often a dicey enterprise. Teams coming off of title runs are usually unmotivated for most of the regular season, until they smell the playoff chum in the water and begin the motivation. Sometimes it works (see Kobe/Shaq Lakers) and other times it doesn’t because of injuries or a more motivated opponent (the every-other-year Spurs). The Champion Lakers of this season are, at least in the early going, not members of either of those classes. They’re more like many of the past’s one hit wonders, floundering after their 15 minutes of fame.

So many things have gone wrong in the early season for the Lakers. Being blown out at home twice, and once on the road. In tonight’s game against the Rockets, they played superbly in the early going, looking like they would blow the doors off of the Rockets. Unfortunately, they pulled a little Rip Van Winkle on their man in the middle and proceeded with a stone in a bucket act that even a stone might envy. Bynum is a giant among the Rockets “bigs” but his littler mates seemed content to jack up J after J like a pop-a-shot machine at chuck-e-cheese’s. Pile on the horrible defensive effort and Aaron Brooks providing Derek Fisher with a game he can’t wait to forget, and you’ve got a recipe for home embarrassment.

Lakers fans booed the home squad, and with good cause. This team has to build a championship mentality once again, because they have no drive and a listless attitude of self-importance and entitlement when they’re on the court.

For Lakers fans, Pau Gasol can’t come back soon enough.